Nicole Edwards - Travis

“I’m sure you will.”

Just when he was going to change the subject, the front doors opened, and Travis’ heart went from a continuous, even thump to a heart pounding throb.

The mere sight of Gage Matthews after all this time jump started his heart and made the palms of his hands itch. He forced himself not to ball them into fists, not wanting his father to pick up on his sudden change in mood.

Travis tracked Gage through the bar, pausing while he ordered a beer, doing his best to avoid the grabby hands of Ellie the waitress as he did. Gage wasn’t nearly as successful as Travis was however. As it would appear, the two might’ve had a history together. For some reason, Travis didn’t like the idea of Gage with that woman. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the idea of Gage with any woman because he’d had some seriously lewd fantasies about him, Gage, and Kylie together, so yeah, he had an open mind. Just not with that woman.

When Gage was on the move again, Travis kept his eyes glued to his well-built frame, noticing he looked much better than he had the last time he’d seen him. He also noticed that the man was going out of his way to avoid looking at him.

“Travis,” Curtis’ deep voice boomed, grabbing his attention and causing him to glance over at his father.

“What?”

“Well, if I didn’t know what the source of your problem was before now, I’m pretty sure I just got my first clue.”

Travis’ eyes went wide, unsure exactly what his father was referring to. He knew he’d been fixated on Gage from the moment he stepped foot through the door, but surely he hadn’t done anything to give himself away, had he?

Rather than lying again, Travis shrugged his shoulders, forcing himself not to turn around and see where Gage went.

“Boy, I’ve got one thing to say and then I’ll leave you be.”

Travis steeled himself for his father’s wrath. If Curtis had any idea that Travis was lusting after a man, he’d surely be ready to tear him limb for limb.

“Whatever it is you want, whatever it is you need, I suggest you go after it. Sitting back and pretending otherwise will get you nowhere in life, boy. And if you ever need to talk, about anything, you know your mother and I will always listen.”

Travis swallowed hard. As much as he’d tried to keep his personal life private, he got the sneaking suspicion that his father knew. At least on some level.

And if that was the case, that meant Travis had spent the last ten years using everyone else as an excuse. If they might accept him, where did that leave him? He wasn’t sure he had the balls to own up to what he’d been fighting all these years.

Because if he did, that would mean he’d been wrong.

And Travis was never wrong.

♀♂

“I don’t know about this, Jess.” Kylie had no desire to go into… Moonshiners – according to the rough metal sign.

“Come on, Ky. Live a little. It’s a bar, the parking lot’s full. Oh, and add to that the hot cowboys who just walked inside. What could possibly go wrong?”

Kylie had heard that before. She also knew there was no way she could persuade her sister from going anywhere else. They’d passed the place on their way out to Gage’s house and Jessie had mentioned it the first time around. After spending a total of two minutes rolling past the historic farmhouse she wasn’t going to be renovating, Kylie had wanted to get the hell out of dodge.

However, she also didn’t want to look like she was fleeing, no matter how true it was.

“Come on. Just for a little while,” Jessie said, pinning her pretty blue eyes on Kylie’s face and making her feel guilty. Even without trying, Jessie always did make Kylie feel guilty. Not in a bad way though. Kylie wanted to make her sister happy. Always had.

“Fine,” she answered as she unclicked the seatbelt and turned off the truck’s engine.

Kylie had to almost run to keep up with Jessie’s much longer stride. Her sister had gotten the height in the family, and what Jessie got, Kylie must’ve given away because topping out at five-foot-five-inches she found herself looking up at her sister. Even if she was only three inches taller, it was enough that Kylie envied her.

Jessie pulled open the front door, and the quiet sunset was suddenly filled with the din of conversation and laughter, the clack of pool balls hitting one another, and the pleasant country beat coming from a jukebox that Kylie spotted just inside the front door.

Sending up a silent prayer that she wouldn’t run into Gage or Travis, or anyone who might know them, Kylie followed her sister inside, the battered wooden door slowly closing behind her.

“What do you want to drink?” Jessie asked as she made a beeline for the bar, her graceful, easy gait disguising her urgency. “Never mind, silly question.” Jessie stood at the edge of the bar, waiting patiently for the bartender to look her way. And just like usual, the instant the older cowboy slinging beers behind the bar spotted Jessie, he smiled and headed her way.

Jessica Renee Prescott had a way with men. She was stunning, smart, and sincere. She was a triple threat. She was also very single. At least Kylie thought she was. She’d never known her to date much, but she’d also never thought to question her sister either. Figuring asking questions would only be asking for someone to start prying into her own life, Kylie did her best to avoid being nosey.

“A Corona with lime for my sister, and I’ll have Grey Goose and 7-Up if you’ve got it.”

“Sure thing, honey,” the burly bartender smiled as he turned away.

“This place is great,” Jessie said as Kylie stepped closer.

It actually was. Kylie liked the down home feel, the rustic wood and iron lacking the intimidating vibe a lot of bars gave off.

“Here you go. Oh, and those are on the house,” the bartender winked, and Jessie smiled brightly.

“Thanks.”

Kylie was pretty sure that her sister had no idea how many men flirted with her on a daily basis. Whenever they were together, Kylie saw one or more men nearly trip over their own tongues when Jessie walked by.

“Want to play pool?” Jessie asked, using the thin straw to stir and sip her drink as Kylie simply wrapped her hand around the ice cold beer bottle. Turning toward the sound of the billiards balls clanging together, Kylie stopped in her tracks.

Her breath came in violent pants, her heart began pounding like a bass drum in a marching band. She had to close her fingers around her beer to keep from dropping it.

There, standing near one of the pool tables in the back was Gage. He was surrounded by a handful of cowboys and a couple of women. Those around him were smiling and laughing, but he didn’t seem to be doing the same.

Movement to her right caught her attention, and Kylie turned to see what it was.

That’s when the shaking ensued. Heading straight for her was none other than Travis Walker.

“You ok, Ky?” Jessie asked, turning to face her.

No. No, she definitely was not.

Kylie couldn’t pull her eyes away from Travis as he moved toward her with purpose. Oh, God. He was going to think she came to see him. What was she supposed to say? How did she get out of this?

“Hey,” Travis’ sexy baritone tore Kylie from her thoughts and she looked up – way up – into sparkling steel blue eyes.

“Hey.” How she managed to find her voice, she had no idea.

Travis held out his hand, and that’s when Kylie realized he was looking toward her sister. “Travis, this is my sister Jessie. Jessie, this is Travis.”

God, she hoped she didn’t need to provide any more introduction than that because her tongue suddenly felt heavy, her mouth dry and her palms sweating. Her beer was at risk of taking a trip, and it wasn’t going to be toward her mouth.

“Nice to meet you, Travis,” Jessie replied as her eyes darted toward Kylie.

Kylie forced a smile but didn’t say anything.

“Mind if I talk to your sister for a minute?” Travis asked Jessie.

“Great idea,” Jessie said with a grin the size of Texas before she waltzed off, heading toward the pool tables at the back of the room.

“Why are you here?”

Kylie flipped her gaze back to Travis’ and processed his question. He didn’t seem upset. In fact, he sounded somewhat optimistic. Although, she had no idea how she was going to answer his question. It wasn’t like she could tell him that they just ventured out for a beer because… Yeah, well because Coyote Ridge was an hour’s drive from her house.

“I wanted to show my sister a house,” she said truthfully.

“In Coyote Ridge?” Travis’ gaze turned skeptical.

Rather than risk the words, Kylie just nodded.

“Well, I’m glad you’re here.”

The words were so unguarded, Kylie’s heart tripped a couple of times before it resumed its normal rhythm. “You are?”

Travis must’ve realized what he said because that mask of indifference that she’d seen on his face when she presented him with divorce papers slammed into place, nearly knocking her back a step or two.

“I’d offer to buy you a beer, but it looks like you’re good.”

For now. She still wasn’t confident she’d be able to hold on to it long. Her hands were shaking like a leaf in a hurricane.

“I’m good.”

“Come on, I’d like to introduce you to a few people,” Travis said as he turned, keeping his eyes on her as he did.

Kylie couldn’t have been more shocked if Travis had hit her over the head with a club and dragged her from the bar. Who was this man? And why was he acting like he had expected her to show up?